﻿NSW Labor is embarking on one of the most ambitious affirmative action programs in its history, with new rules to boost the number of women in key roles at the grassroots of the party with the aim of transforming the organisation.

The rules, to be put to party members at February's state conference, are in response to the cultural problems highlighted by a landmark report by Jane Needham, SC, into the status of women inside the NSW division.

NSW Labor's new rules to boost the number of women in key roles are in response to the cultural problems highlighted by a landmark report by Jane Needham, SC. Photo: James Brickwood

The report was commissioned in the wake of the sexual harassment saga that saw Jamie Clements resign as NSW Labor general-secretary last week.

Labor's 2015 national conference introduced new affirmative action rules to increase the number of women in leadership roles in the party to 50 per cent, as well as in preselections and union delegations to party conferences.

The report was commissioned in the wake of the sexual harassment saga that saw Jamie Clements resign as NSW Labor general-secretary last week.
Photo: Dallas Kilponen

From July 1, at least 40 per cent of those elected must be women, increasing to 45 per cent in 2022 and 50 per cent in 2027.

At its state conference next month, NSW Labor will go further, extending the rules to the party's grassroots.

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At present, men account for about two-thirds of the NSW party membership, yet more than three-quarters of its branch presidents are men.

Labor's rules committee is recommending applying the quotas to the election by branches of delegates to state electorate councils and federal electorate councils; the election of the executives of those councils; and the delegates the councils send to state and federal conference.

The new rules will be strictly enforced. If a state electorate council or federal electorate council fails to meet the quota, it will be denied the right to send its delegates to the state conference, which is the party's supreme policy-making forum.

Acting NSW general-secretary Kaila Murnain said NSW Labor was "leading the way in encouraging diversity of representation in Parliament, and our historic reforms will ensure our party is more representative at the grassroots level".

"A diverse Labor Party is a strong Labor Party, and we are setting the bar high for other parties to follow," she said.

Labor left assistant secretary John Graham said boosting the number of women "is a challenge for every political party. We call on the Liberals and the Nationals to follow Labor's lead".

Mr Clements was forced to resign over the allegation that in June he tried to kiss staffer Stefanie Jones in the Parliament House office of Campbelltown MP Greg Warren, for whom she works.

Police investigated but did not charge Mr Clements, who denies the claim, which was the subject of an apprehended violence order application last year.

An investigation by the Parliament concluded there was insufficient corroborating evidence, on the balance of probabilities, to substantiate the allegations but found Ms Jones was genuinely anxious about potential future contact with Mr Clements.

Police withdrew the AVO application and Mr Clements, without admissions, agreed to stay away from Ms Jones for 12 months.

But Mr Clements quit after federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called for an urgent report and acting NSW Labor leader Linda Burney called for his resignation to "draw a line" under the issue in a federal election year.

Fairfax Media has confirmed NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley, who was on leave, called Mr Clements on Thursday afternoon and urged him to resign.

Ms Murnain is likely to be elected as general-secretary at the February 13-4 state conference.

Some names being discussed to replace her as right faction assistant secretary are NSW Labor executive officer Dom Ofner, Rob Allen, who works for upper house MP Adam Searle, and Rail, Tram and Bus Union national president Bob Nanva.